


Negotiations

by Missy1978



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Business Negotiations, F/M, Implied Violence, Joffrey is still an ass, Sandor and Sansa are closer in age, the Starks like Sandor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:55:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26086807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missy1978/pseuds/Missy1978
Summary: The Starks and the Lannisters are negotiating a deal that both families need, throwing Sandor and Sansa together. Will the Lannister's 'fixer' and the Stark princess negotiate something else?
Relationships: Sandor Clegane/Sansa Stark
Comments: 10
Kudos: 85





	Negotiations

**Author's Note:**

> I had this idea of Sansa picking Sandor up at the airport, and this is where it went.

**negotiation -** **noun**

 **UK /nɪˌɡəʊʃiˈeɪʃən/ US -** **a formal discussion between people who are trying to reach an agreement:** **begin/enter into/be in negotiations (with someone) The board is certainly willing to enter into negotiations to find common ground, he said.**

Sansa Stark stood in the airport's arrival hall holding a sign with the name ‘Clegane’ printed on it. The entire Stark family was pitching in to make the negotiations with the Lannisters successful. Sansa had agreed to do the airport pick-ups. She'd been back and forth to Wintertown airport a few times today (why couldn't they all take the same flight she wondered), but this was her last run. Sandor Clegane; she didn't know him, but she knew what she was looking for: tall, well built, longish black hair, facial scarring. She'd googled a photo of him so she wouldn't be shocked when she met him. He was infamous, the Lannister's 'fixer', he knew where all the bodies were buried, literally.

Sandor Clegane pulled his carry-on bag out of the overhead bin above his seat and slung it over his shoulder. He stood to his full height, then arched his back until he felt a pop. He hated flying. Well he didn't hate flying, he hated sitting in airplane seats. At his height, there was no comfortable position, even in first class. Regardless, he was excited/nervous about being here. He knew this was his last trip as a Lannister employee, it was time to move on.

He had worked for the Lannister's since he was 18. Tall, menacing, horrific scarring on his face; he was a natural fit as a bodyguard. Along the way, while attending night school, he absorbed as much information as he could about the Lannister's business, and moved up the corporate ladder. He might look like a freak, but he was intelligent and had ambitions to move beyond his present position. By 26 he was ready to go but decided to stick around long enough for the trip to Winterfell, and the negotiations with the Starks. He figured he could make some business connections while he was there. 

He knew someone was meeting him to drive him to the Winterfell estate, so when he got to the arrivals hall he looked for his name on one of the many signs being held by drivers. What he wasn't prepared for was the fact that his driver was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life. Long red hair, big blue eyes, tall, smiley; but what really caught his attention was the fact that she made eye contact with him. It didn't happen that often, well ever, with beautiful women. He was struck that other than a glance at his scars and a brief widening of her eyes, she continued to look at him, and she _smiled_.

"Mr. Clegane?" Sandor nodded "if you have everything, let's get out of here." Sandor followed her out of the building to a sedan parked at the curb. "I'm Sansa, Sansa Stark. Front or back seat Mr. Clegane?"

"Front, and call me Sandor. You're a Stark huh, how'd you get stuck picking me up?"

Sansa laughed. "I volunteered to do airport runs, it seemed easier than some of the other tasks, plus it got me out of the house. Everyone is running around like their hair is on fire getting ready for this. Sadly though, you're my last pick up, so there will be no avoiding the chaos after this." She concluded with a smirk.

Sandor tipped his head back and barked out a laugh, then got into the passenger seat and turned to Sansa "I'll tell you what, I'm not quite ready for the chaos either. How about we pretend my flight was late and take a drive. I've never been to the north, and I'm sure as hell not going to get a chance to see it once the meetings start. What do you think?"

Sansa smiled at him (again) "that sounds like a great idea" For the next hour they drove around Wintertown and the surrounding area, Sansa pointing out some of her favorite places, Sandor asking questions about what he was seeing, and about the north in general. They were on their way to Weirwood Park when Sansa's cell phone rang "oh crap, the jig may be up" she pulled off to the side of the road and swiped the phone "hi Mom....yea the plane was delayed" she winked at Sandor. "We're on our way now….we should be there in about 20 minutes...okay see ya soon."

Sansa turned and looked at Sandor "everyone is wondering where you are, apparently the Lannister's can't function without you?" Sandor laughed and shook his head "anyway, I guess our chaos avoiding is over, oh well, it was fun while it lasted." She ended with an adorable (in Sandor's mind) fake pout.

Sandor knew that once they got to Winterfell he wouldn't get to spend anymore time with Sansa, and he definitely wanted to. But, he wasn't sure how to make that happen. "So, are you in the family business? Will you be at the negotiations?"

"Oh gods no." Then she smiled at him "but I will be around all week, all of us kids not in the business came home to help out wherever we could. As you can imagine, this deal is important" at Sandor's nod she continued "so, whatever we can do, we will. As we say in my family; the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives"

Sandor smiled, his family wasn't like that, but he could appreciate the loyalty. "Maybe we could go for another drive some time this week?" 

Sansa turned and considered his statement. "I'd like that... but I'm not sure _you_ are going to have time. I've seen the agenda, it's packed. Maybe we should play it by ear, and see what you have time for?" 

Sandor reluctantly agreed as they pulled through the gates to the estate. Huge, stone, and blending perfectly into the surroundings. Winterfell looked like what it was: an estate, but more than that, a home that had been in a family for generations. Unlike Casterly Rock or the Red Keep, the Lannister estates, you could tell people actually lived here. It wasn't just for show, he liked it, a lot. Sandor turned to Sansa "I hope this isn't the last time we get to spend together."

Sansa grinned "me too" then looked out the front windshield and noticed members of her family standing on the front steps waiting to welcome Sandor "looks like we're busted." Then she sighed "Hopefully my family won't expect me to spend time with Joffrey, he's so arrogant." She realized who she was saying that to "oops, sorry, I know he's your boss…"

Sandor laughed "don't worry, I agree. I only spend time with him because I'm paid to, part of my job is keeping him out of trouble. Actually that's the worst part of my job, being his nursemaid, or his dog as he likes to call me; that isn't what I went to business school for." He ended with a smirk. 

Sansa smiled "well, I hope you can give him the slip" and she winked at him and got out of the car. Sandor opened the passenger side door and was immediately surrounded by Sansa's relatives, who hustled him into the building. He looked back once to see Sansa watching him with a soft smile on her face. 

Most of the week had gone exactly as Sandor expected; long meetings sitting behind Tywin and Joffrey during the day taking notes and making suggestions, keeping Joffrey out of trouble at night. The Lannister's were ruthless, to be sure; but there was no one better in the business, Sandor was learning from the best. The downside was that he had to interact with that cunt Joffrey. Joffrey, the heir to the Lannister's kingdom, spent his days barely listening to the meetings going on around him; his evenings were spent unsuccessfully trying to seduce Sansa. Not that she was interested. Sandor could tell that she was just humoring him because of the negotiations. He stuck close so nothing got out of hand. Unfortunately because of the high stakes of the negotiations, he didn't have the luxury of just flattening Joffrey; the Starks and the Lannisters needed this deal to happen. Once everything was signed he'd be free to make his blossoming feelings for Sansa known.

The day negotiations had finally completed, coincided with Sansa's 18th birthday. While the banquet was officially meant to thank everyone for all their hard work, a nod had been made to the special occasion including a huge lemon cake for dessert. After the speeches and backslapping, the younger members of the crowd had left to go bar hopping in Wintertown, that's when it had all gone wrong. One by one the other members of the group left to retire for the night until it was only Sansa, Joffrey and Sandor. Sansa and Sandor were sober; Sansa because she was only 18, Sandor because he would have to drive them back to Winterfell. Joffrey, on the other hand, downed drinks like water, and by the end of the evening was a sloppy, drunken asshole. 

Joffrey insisted that he walk Sansa to her room. Sandor wasn’t comfortable leaving Sansa in Joffrey’s care, but when he quietly voiced his concern to her, Sansa smiled up at him and placed her small soft hand on his arm and whispered (so only he could hear her) that she would be okay. She’d just drop him off in his room then leave. Reluctantly he left them at Winterfell’s entrance to go park the car. His last glimpse of the pair was Sansa supporting Joffrey as they entered the building. 

When he got to the hallway where his and Joffrey’s guest rooms were located, Sandor heard voices through Joffrey’s door; Joffrey's drunken slurring and Sansa's panicked responses. Then suddenly a slap. Sandor forced the door open, only to see Joffrey standing over a kneeling Sansa holding her by the wrist, his other arm poised to slap her across the face. Sansa's free hand pressed against her quickly bruising cheek. At the intrusion, they both looked at him. 

"Dog!" Joffrey slurred "can you believe this bitch is still playing hard to get? I've spent hundreds of dollars in this godforsaken wasteland, and she still has her legs clamped together. Stupid whore, doesn't she know who I am?" He concluded with a snort. 

Sandor took one look at Sansa's bruised face; and something snapped in him. He grabbed Joffrey by the collar of his shirt and hauled him up until his feet were no longer touching the ground. 

"Dog! What are you doing?" Joffrey screamed, as Sandor slammed a fist into his face. He went down in a heap at Sandor's feet. Sandor turned to Sansa and held out his hand to help her up. 

"Sansa? Do you need to go to the emergency ro...ooooff" Sandor concluded with a grunt as Sansa leapt up, wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest. They stood there for a minute, Sandor wrapping his arms around her shoulders, rocking her gently. "you're okay now, he can't hurt you anymore." 

Sansa turned and looked up at Sandor, her blue eyes watery. They stood there, arms wrapped around each other, Sansa's chin on Sandor's chest, staring at each other. "Sandor...I...thank you." Sandor scoffed, but didn't say anything, but his eyes widened as Sansa rolled up on her toes, bringing their faces closer. Her eyes fluttered shut and she pressed her lips to his. 

_What the??!?_ Sandor could not believe what was happening. He didn't react or kiss back, he figured the best thing was to let Sansa thank him, then get her back to her room before Joffrey regain consciousness. Sansa opened her eyes, confusion clouding her beautiful blue eyes. “oh” she began “I thought…” she looked down and flushed bright red “I thought we felt the same way” she looked back down “I’m sorry” and she began to pull away. _What the fuck????_

He held her in place “Sansa, what are you talking about?” 

If it was possible Sansa blushed even brighter red “I thought you knew how I felt. I thought you could tell. I guess I’m just as stupid as Joffrey says I am. I only spent time with Joffrey so I could see you. I know that's childish, but there never seemed to be a time where we could be alone, Joffrey just always seemed to be around. So I figured if I had to spend time with him, at least I'd get to see you too.” she finished, not being able to meet his eye.

Sandor was dumbstruck, “Sansa, I..” he didn’t know what to say, but maybe actions would speak louder than words. He bent down and captured her lips with his own. Pulling her closer, he moved his arms from around her shoulders to one at the small of her back and the other, he wove into her hair. Sansa enthusiastically tightened her arms around his waist and tilted her face so they fit together better. Sandor swiped his tongue along her lips and she opened her mouth to him. He groaned and kissed her harder, he couldn't get enough of her. Suddenly he felt her flinch, he pulled back to look at her and gently cupped her bruised face. "How bad does your cheek feel?"

"It hurts, how does it look?"

"Well, you're going to have a spectacular bruise tomorrow, maybe we should get you back to your parents. They're going to want to know what happened."

Sansa groaned "You're probably right."

Sandor laughed and kissed her on the nose. "C'mon, we better face the music. Unfortunately they're not going to love the idea that they just negotiated a deal with a corporation whose heir apparent is a cunt."

Sansa gave Sandor a worried look "do you think this will torpedo the deal?"

"Your father is so bloody honorable, I can't imagine he would want to continue to do business with the Lannisters after this." Sandor said with a sigh.

"Maybe we shouldn't tell them. Dad's company needs this deal. That's all I've heard for the past month...I can't be the reason it doesn't happen."

"How are you going to explain your face?"

"I'll tell them I fell, or ran into something. I don't know, just something. The Lannisters are leaving tomorrow, as long as I stay out of sight until they're gone, everything will be okay."

"I'm not sure that's the best idea Sansa, once this deal is in place your family and the Lannister's are going to have to spend lots of time together, it'll be expected; and I wouldn't be surprised if both families try and push you and Joffrey together to cement the partnership."

Sansa's eyes flared and her lips twisted in disgust "ewww, what a horrible thought. You're probably right. Let's get out of here and find my Dad, he'll want to know what happened." They exited the room, leaving Joffrey in an unconscious heap on the floor. On their way to the main floor, Sansa told Sandor to go into the kitchen, and she'd get her parents and bring them down.

Sandor was nervously sitting on a stool in the kitchen when Ned Stark barreled in. "What the fuck happened tonight?"

"Didn't Sansa tell you? Joffrey got drunk, then got handsey, then got mad because Sansa wasn't interested."

"Why didn't you stop him? Isn't that your job? You're a pretty piss poor fixer if you can't stop that weasel from assaulting my daughter."

Sandor was so mad he could almost feel his blood begin to boil. Of course Ned fucking Stark would blame him, instead of where the blame really belonged; with the Lannisters. But before he blew his stack, he took a huge breath and let it out slowly. It wouldn't help anyone if he bit Ned's head off; plus if he had any hope of seeing Sansa again he had to prove to the Starks that he was worthy.

"You're right, I should have realized Joffrey was going to be a complete cunt tonight. He's been sniffing after Sansa all week, and she's tolerated it because she knows how important this deal is to your family." At this Sandor noticed a flush come over Ned's cheeks. Good he thought, Ned needs to realize what Sansa has done for her family.

Ned sighed "that's what I was afraid of, I haven't exactly been quiet about how important this deal is for us, unfortunately, I had to make this deal with the Lannisters, it's like selling my soul to the devil." Realizing who he was talking to "uh, sorry, no offense, I know you've worked for them for a long time."

"None taken, I'm on my way out the door anyway. This was my last trip with the Lannisters. Eight years of babysitting Joffrey and watching Tywin cheat good people out of things is enough for anyone. I learned a lot, mostly how I don't want to act in business, but now it's time to move on."

Ned looked at him with interest "where are you going next? You're the best fixer in the business, I'm sure corporations are lining up for you."

"No idea, Tywin doesn't even know I'm leaving yet. Besides, my contract with the Lannister's has a twelve month non-compete clause, so where I'm probably going next is vacation. I deserve a nice long one after dealing with Joffrey all those years." He concluded with a snort.

Ned considered what Sandor had just told him, and made a snap decision "I could wait a year if you'd consider moving north, if I'm going to have to be in bed with the Lannisters, I'm going to need a good fixer."

Sandor's eyes widened at Ned's offer, move north? Work for someone he actually respected? Oh hell, who was he kidding...get to know Sansa better? yea, he'd definitely consider it. "I'd consider it, but I have to tell you, as your future fixer, I don't think it's in your best interest to do business with the Lannisters."

Ned looked at him confused "you know I need this, if I don't do the deal with them, there might not be a company in twelve months for you to work for." He concluded with a shrug.

Sandor smiled "you know they're not the only game in town. Have you signed anything yet?" At Ned's negative head shake he continued "I think the Tyrell's would be a much better fit for you. If you'd like, I can make some inquiries with some of my sources. You could probably get a tentative deal tonight if we get started right now."

Ned slapped him on the back "How about you go get your contact list, and I'll put some coffee on, and we can get started. I hope you're ready for a long night." Sandor nodded and went to retrieve his bag, laptop and cellphone from his room. It was going to be a long night, but it would be worth it.

*****

**1 year and 2 weeks later**

Sandor stood in front of the mirror adjusting his tie. Today was his first day of work at Stark Industries, and he wanted it to be perfect. Of course he knew everyone there already; but for the first time in a long time, he was excited about going to work.

The last year had flown by. He returned to King's Landing with the Lannisters after the unsuccessful negotiations with the Starks. The following Monday he submitted his letter of resignation, giving two weeks notice. Tywin had raged and yelled and threatened; all to no avail, Sandor had made up his mind, he was leaving. Joffrey had threatened to press charges against Sandor for assault, until Sandor informed him that the Starks had taken photos of Sansa's bruised face and perhaps they could share a jail cell. That shut him up. Even an astronomical pay raise offer by Tywin had been rejected. All Sandor wanted to do was get through the two weeks, pack up his office and get out.

One final tug at his tie, and Sandor turned towards the bed "How do I look?"

Sansa sat, scrolling through her phone; she looked up and smirked "hot" Sandor barked out a laugh, and Sansa continued "are you sure you have to leave this early? I'd like to rip that tie off you." She concluded with a growl.

"As much as I'd love to get back in bed with you, I can't be late on my first day. Besides, your Dad and I are meeting with the Tyrells, and I shouldn't show up to our first meeting looking like I've been thoroughly fucked by his daughter."

Sansa snorted "I'm going to let you off the hook for today, only because you're right, you don't need to sit in a closed office with my Dad all day, smelling like wild sex. But as soon as you get home, you better plan on spending the rest of the night naked. I plan on having sex tonight with the best fixer in the business." She concluded with a wink.

Sandor bent down and kissed Sansa again "good, because I plan to have sex tonight with the best airport shuttle driver in the business." 

Sansa threw back her head and laughed. "Good, go, get out of here, make me proud."

"I will." Sandor leaned down and kissed Sansa's cheek and headed out to begin the chapter in his life; well if he was honest, the next chapter of his professional life. The next, and hopefully last, chapter of his personal life had already happened eleven months ago when he and all his belongings arrived in the north. The Starks had welcomed him into their lives; finding him somewhere to live, introducing him to everyone, making him feel like he belonged. 

He and Sansa started dating immediately. They tried to take it slow, but within a few weeks they knew they were meant to be together. The Lannister dog and the Stark princess, a match made in the north, they joked. Sansa moved in with him on the six month anniversary of his moving north, and they'd been inseparable ever since. He knew it was just a matter of time before he proposed; she was it, the final piece, the most important piece to making his life whole.

Sandor grinned, grabbed his phone and bag and headed out of the house to help his (future) father-in-law negotiate a deal to bring money, jobs and prosperity to his new homeland; the north.


End file.
